The healthcare industry has been subject to a vast number of changes just in the last few years and the system is quickly evolving. One of the most influential changes that the healthcare system has been exposed to would certainly be the Affordable Care Act. This legislation has greatly expanded the number of citizens who are able to purchase affordable health insurance in the Healthcare Marketplace and in most cases there is a government subsidy to help offset the costs to families. Furthermore, many states have expanded the Medicare system to include more low income families bringing another demographic into the healthcare system.

The Affordable Care Act will have significant implications for many different demographics in the community. For example, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than $14 million was awarded today to 45 school-based health centers across the country allowing the number of children served to increase by nearly 50%, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced (HRSA Press Office, 2011). There is an unprecedented opportunity to expand the healthcare accessibility to the local community but it will take a significant amount of effort. There are several strategies available to promote preventative healthcare and access to health care that are available now and there could not be a better time to take advantage of the resources available to promote well-being in the local community.

Key Strategies

One of the most salient of the key strategies is to be proactive about managing individual's healthcare and treating them holistically which also focuses on preventive medicine. Preventive medicine not only improves the quality of life for the participants but it also has economic advantages. Making sure that as many people have access to quality health care will decrease health care costs by allowing people to receive regular and preventive medical care and not wait until they are chronically ill to seek treatment when medical costs are much higher (ProCon, 2014). When the condition progresses, so do the costs associated with it.

Despite this face, under the current system of healthcare, people who do not have insurance generally wait until it is much too late. When some gets sick that does not have health coverage, they tend to balance the costs and benefits associated with getting treatment rather than focusing on their health. This forces a number of people who get sick or hurt then to wait to the last possible moment to get treatment. The costs associated with healthcare can often be perceived as a tremendous barrier and this causes people to wait until they no longer have an alternative. Yet this situation is counterproductive to the individual as well as the system because as the condition escalates then it is more difficult to treat.

Furthermore, if an uninsured individual does not have access to primary care then they may have few options to seek healthcare in general. It is because of this that those people who are unable to pay for regular medical end up at the emergency room (ER). This often represents the only option for many individuals because they cannot pay the fees associated with a primary physician and, by law, the emergency room cannot deny anyone care.

The emergency room visits is one of the primary factors that have driven healthcare much higher over the years and also works to bankrupt more Americans than any other expense. In 2007, 62.1% of all U.S. bankruptcies were related to medical expenses and 78% of these bankruptcies were filed by people who had medical insurance (ProCon, 2014). Therefore, by expanding healthcare access to as many people as possible, there is an economic benefit to the entire community. The costs associated with bankruptcy affect the entire community and lower its economic potential. Furthermore, because the healthcare industry must absorb the costs of bankruptcies, much of these costs are spread out through the entire system which acts to further drive up the costs for everyone. This is one of the main reasons that the costs of healthcare have increased much faster than the rate of inflation over the last decade.

There are a number of direct costs that are easily attributed to the inefficiencies in the current healthcare model. However, other indirect costs can be even more…[continue]

Other Documents Pertaining To This Topic

Healthcare and Drug Costs
Increasing Healthcare and Drug Costs Affect on the Socioeconomic Drag in the U.S.
The United States spends about 2.5 trillion dollars a year just on health care (Johnson, 2009). However, the Unites States' prices keep going up which makes the economy go down. The rising health care costs, drug costs, and drug abuse affect the socioeconomic drag of the heath care economy in the United States of America.
Rising

The topic on "Social Marketing in Healthcare" advances how social marketing tool predominantly used in marketing consumer items can be effectively applied in the healthcare field. In addition, the development of social marketing research is an effective means by which information can be collected from consumers. This adds weight on this subject. In today's age, all activities are caught up in the information technology web. This is possible through the

Access to Healthcare:
For the last two decades, access to healthcare is an issue that has played a crucial role in leading the charge for health care reforms. Access to quality and comprehensive health care services is a crucial aspect for the realization of health equity and for enhancing the quality of health for every individual. Generally, the access to these services means the timely use of individual health services in

Access to Health Care in USA
This research paper focuses on the degree of accessibility to the health care services in the U.S.A. Accessibility refers to the ability of an individual to meet health care needs and to acquire the needed medical services on time. It then discusses the findings of the research. The suggestions for the elimination of the prevailing problems in the health care system are also given in

At this point in time, there is growing support for the idea of universal access to healthcare. In fact, President Obama was able to draft and secure the passage of a healthcare law that is the first step towards universal access in the United States. There has been a tremendous amount of opposition to the law, which has resulted in legal challenges to the law. In an article posted by

Healthcare System of Norway
Health Policy of Norway
Analysis of Health Policy
Pressures on Health Care Delivery
High Cost
Ageing Population
Increased Diseases
Waiting-time Prioritization
The healthcare systems are developed to provide necessary healthcare facilities. It is also aimed to maintain health of their citizen in compliance with the state and international regulations. Norway is considered as one of the country, holding prominent place in global economy as well as growth rate and per capita income (Pontusson2011). It

Healthcare Administration and Leadership
Health care in the United States has progressed and improved to the point at which providers in all health care settings have defined and developed at least 4 major areas of importance for effective health care. Knowledgeable health care leaders have identified Quality and Safety; Community Health; Health Care Access and Coverage; and Leadership and Governance as key areas that must be constantly addressed and improved to